Piano damper-action.



No. 780,944. PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905. W. A. EARHART.

PIANO DAMPER ACTION.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 26, 1903.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOR ATTOR/V WITNESSES.

No. 780,944. PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905. W. A. EARHART.

PIANO DAMPER AGTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

WITNESSES: INVENTOR UNITED STATES Patented January 24, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PIANO DAMPER ACTlON.

" SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,944, dated January 24, 1905,

Application filed November 25,1903. erial No. 182,605.

- at the time to keep the unused strings from vibrating in unison with the strings sounded by the hammers.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improve ment as arranged for an upright piano, the rails and damper-rod being in section and the dampers in a closed position that is, in contact with the strings. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same, showing the damper open out of engagement with the string. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism for operating the damper-rod from the pedal, the rail and damper-rod being shown in section. Fig'. 4 is a side elevation of the improvement as arranged for a grand piano, the rail and damper-rod being shown in section and the damper closed or in engagement with the string. Fig. 5 is a like view of the same, showing the parts in position when the damper is open; and Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the mechanism for actuating the damper-rod from the pedal, the rail and damperrod being shown in section.

In the action for upright pianos, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the damper-lever A is fulcrumed in the usual manner on a flange B, attached to a center rail C, and the upper end of the damper-lever A is provided with the usual felted damper-head A, normally engaging a string D by the action of a damperlever spring E. The lower end of the damper-lever A is engaged by a damper-spoon F, held on a jack rocker or wippen G, connected by a rod H in the usual manner with the piano-key.

The damper-lever A is provided at its lower end with a depending rod A having an offset A and a felted angular terminal A", as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

On a rail 1, preferably supported from a lower flanged rail J, is secured a flange K, on which is fulcrumed a gravity-arm L, having its free felted end L normally standing above the offset A, as plainly shown in Fig. 1, the said arm L being normally held in an uppermost position by a red 0, held at each end on an arm 0, (see Fig. 3,) mounted to swing on a pivot 0 carried by a bracket P, attached to the rail 1. The arm 0 is provided with anextension pressed on by a spring Q to hold the rod 0 and with it the arm L normally in an uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 1. The extension 0 is adapted to be engaged by the ordinary damper-pedal bar R of the pedal mechanism, so that when the pedal is pressed half-way down and the pedalbar R rises correspondingly then it-acts on the extension 0 and swings the same upward against the tension of the spring Q to cause the arm 0 to swing downward and with it the rod 0. "hen this takes place, the arm L swings donmward by its own weight, so that its free end L moves in front of the offset A whenever the corresponding piano key is played and the damper-lever A actuated.

As soon as the arm L drops in front of the offset A it locks the damper-lever A in an open position and holds it against return movement, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The damper-lever A remains in this open position until the pedal is released, so that the pedal-bar R in its downward movement allows the spring Q to return the arm 0 and the rod 0 to their normal uppermost positions and the upward movement of said rod swings the arm L upward out of engagement with the offset A to unlock the damper-lever A and to allow the spring E thereof to move the damper-lever into its closed position. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

\Vhen the .pedal is pressed all the way down, then the downward swinging motion given to the rod 0 causes the latter to move in engagement with the terminal A, thus imparting a rearward swinging motion to all the damperlevers A to open the same.

When the pedal is released and the pedalbar R moves downward, then the spring Q returns the arm 0 and the rod 0 to their normal uppermost positions, whereby all the arms L are swung upward out of engagement with the offsets A to allow the damper-levers A to swing into a closed position by the action of their springs E.

By the arrangement described the damperlever A for a pressed key swings individually open when the pedal is pressed half-way down, and the damper-lever remains in this position until the pedal is released. lVhen the pedal is pressed all the way down, then all the damper-levers A are swung into an open position and remain so until the pedal is released.

In grand pianos, as illustrated in Figs. &, 5, and 6, the arm L works on an offset A", directly formed on the damper-lever A, and the rod 0 is normally in a lowermost position. Now when the pedal is pressed halfway down then the pedal-bar R rises to the position shown in Fig. 6, and when a key is now played then the corresponding damperlever r is caused to swing upward into an open position or out of engagement with its string, and at the same time the gravity-arm L swings downward at its rear end under the offset A (see Fig. 5) to lock the damper-lever A" against return movement.

\Vhen the pedal is released and the pedalbar R moves downward back to its former position, then the rod 0 is free to swing downward and in doing so imparts a return swinging motion to the arm L to unlock the d amper-lever A and allow the same to return to its normal closed position. (Shown in Fig. A.)

From the foregoing it will be seen that in the arrangement described for both upright and grand pianos the strings not played remain damped by the dampers when the pedal is pressed half-way down, and hence the damped strings do not vibrate sympathetically with the strings that are sounded, and all undue sounds or noises are thus completely avoided.

lhe parts of the damper-action are provided wherever necessary with felt, as indicated in the drawings.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A piano damper-action, comprising a damper-lever adapted to be swung out of conmet with the string by the piano-action when a cy is played, said lever being provided with a rod having an offset and an angular terminal, a gravity-arm adapted to drop in front of the said offset to lock the damper lever out of contact with the string, a pivoted and spring-pressed arm, a rod carried by the said arm, and adapted for engagen'ient with the gravity-arm and the angular terminal of the rod carried by damper-lever, and a pedal for engaging the said pivoted arm, as set forth.

2. A piano damper-action, comprising a damper-lever adapted to be swung out of contact with the string by the piano-action when a key is played, said lever being provided with a rod having an offset, a gravity-arm adapted to drop in front of the olfset of the rod of the damper-lever to lock said lever in the position to which it has been moved, a pivoted and spring-pressed arm, a rod carried by said arm and adapted for engagement with the gravity-arm to raise it out of engagement with the offset of said rod, and a pedal for operating said pivoted arm, as set forth.

3. A piano dampcraction, comprising a damper-lever provided with an offset and adapted to be swung out of contact with the string by the piano-action when a key is played, an arm adapted to automatically move into engagement with the offset of thedampcrlever to lock it in the position to which it has been moved, a swinging rod adapted for engagement with the said arm to move it out of engagement with the offset of the dampen lever, and a pedal for operating the damperrod, as set forth.

4. In a piano, the combination with the ordinary damper-pedal of a piano, of a damper-lever provided with an offset and adapted to be swung out of contact with the string when a key is played, a gravity-arm adapted to automatically move into engagement with the Clitll'lPQY-IQVQI to lock it in the position to which it has been moved, and a swinging rod for operating the said arm to release the damper-lever, said rod being operated by the pedal, as set forth.

5. A piano damper-action, con'iprisinga damper-lever adapted to be swung out of contact with the string by the piano-action when a key is played, a swinging arm for locking the damper-lever out of contact with the string, a swinging and spring-pressed rod for operating the swinging arm when swung in one direction, and the dam per-lever when swung in the opposite direction, and a pedal for swinging the said rod against the action of its spring, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof]. have signed my name to this SDGCifiOtttiOD in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

lVlLLIAB I. A, EARIrlARl.

l/Vitnesses:

SAMUEL J. Cu'r'msnn'r, S. G. Sims. 

